US 12,299,610 B2
Optimized task generation and scheduling of automated guided carts using overhead sensor systems
Mario Cortese, Pisa (IT); Enrico Fortunato, Dublin (IE); Ajith Abhindranath, Hannover (DE); Roberto Biale, Asigliano Vercellese (IT); and Stefano La Rovere, Bereldange (LU)
Assigned to Amazon Technologies, Inc., Seattle, WA (US)
Filed by Amazon Technologies, Inc., Seattle, WA (US)
Filed on Mar. 22, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/701,295.
Prior Publication US 2023/0306325 A1, Sep. 28, 2023
Int. Cl. G06Q 10/0631 (2023.01); G06Q 10/087 (2023.01)
CPC G06Q 10/06311 (2013.01) [G06Q 10/087 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An automated guided cart (AGC) task generation and scheduling system, comprising:
a warehouse management system configured to detect respective states of an inbound area, a plurality of processing stations, and a buffer area;
a ceiling sensor system configured to detect respective states of a plurality of trolley locations, the plurality of trolley locations associated with respective ones of the inbound area, the plurality of processing stations, and the buffer area, wherein the ceiling sensor system comprises a plurality of laser sensors associated with respective ones of the plurality of trolley locations;
wherein a first overhead sensor apparatus of the ceiling sensor system associated with a first trolley location of at least one of the inbound area or the plurality of processing stations comprises a first plurality of laser sensors, individual ones of the first plurality of laser sensors configured to detect respective portions of a trolley positioned at the first trolley location; and
wherein a second overhead sensor apparatus of the ceiling sensor system associated with a second trolley location of the buffer area comprises a single laser sensor, the single laser sensor configured to detect a portion of a trolley positioned at the second trolley location;
at least one AGC;
an order management system configured to at least:
receive, from the warehouse management system, respective states of the inbound area, the plurality of processing stations, and the buffer area;
receive, from the ceiling sensor system, respective states of the plurality of trolley locations;
determine a plurality of candidate tasks associated with movement of one or more trolleys between one or more of the plurality of trolley locations by the at least one AGC, based on the respective states of the inbound area, the plurality of processing stations, and the buffer area, and based on the respective states of the plurality of trolley locations;
receive at least one constraint related to at least one of space or time associated with movement of the one or more trolleys between the one or more of the plurality of trolley locations; and
determine, from the plurality of candidate tasks, a sequence of tasks based on the at least one constraint; and
a traffic controller configured to receive the sequence of tasks, and to instruct the at least one AGC to execute the sequence of tasks;
wherein the at least one AGC executes the sequence of tasks.